Game of chance



feb. 17. 1925 B. G. DE WOOLFSON GAME OF CHANCE Filed March 17,

invade? finwe Green ae Madison 5 fi gm Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATE BRUCE GREEN DE WOOLFSON, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME OF CHANGE.

Application filed March 17, 1922.

To all whom it mm/ concern:

Be it known that I, BRUCE GREEN on WooLrsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games of Chance; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, having for an object to provide a game of chance employing a plurality of game pieces which are adapted to be placed upon a peculiarly constructed course, way or track and caused to be moved or propelled thereover in a forwardly direction, obstruction being placed in the course for the purpose of offering impedance to the forwardly travel or progress of the game pieces and thereby rendering the order of their respective finishing of their traverse a matter of chance and by consequence, ofiering considerable amusement to the persons participating.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide the device with a novel form of course of track comprehending a plurality of rollers arranged in sequential or juxta posed order and adapted to be collectively rotated, the direction of rotation of certain of the rollers being reverse to the direction of the majority thereof and hence, serving as an impedance to the game pieces moving over the way in a forwardly direction and propelled by said majority.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawmgs and in the detailed following description based thereon, set out one possible embodiment of the same;

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved game;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmental detail in longitudinal section; and,

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating a slightly modified form of the invention.

Having more particular reference to the Serial No. 544,492.

drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the improved game may be stated to comprise a substair tially rectangular frame 1 composed of end and side pieces as'clearly shown in the Figure 1 and having a plurality of relatively parallel arranged juxtaposed rollers generally indicated by the numeral 2 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings formed equidistant throughout the side members of said frame 1; stub shafts, of course, being arranged upon the opposite endsv of said rollers 2 whereby they may be j ournalled in the bearings provided for by the sides of the frame 1.

As means for imparting collective rotary motion to the various juxtaposed rollers 2, which as will be noted, are of corresponding diametrical dimensions, I arrange upon certain of the extended ends of these rollers, gears 3; certain of the same being of sizes greater than others, the smaller gears being inter-connected through the medium of idlers i rotatably mounted upon the corresponding side of the frame 1 and meshing with the same. The larger gears which may be indicated for the purpose of convenience by the numeral 5 are directly inter-meshed thus avoiding the inter-positioning of idlers, such as indicated at 4-. A crank handle (3 may be and preferably is extended from the gear 3 of the foremost roller 2 and as will be understood, permits of the transmission of rotary motion thereto.

Because of the peculiar manner in which the various rollers 2 are inter-connected, certain of the same will be caused to rotate in directions reverse to the direction of ro tation of the majority thereof and therefore, the reversely rotating rollers will serve as eifectual impedances for the game pieces, hereinafter more fully described, as the same travel over the track in a forwardly direction.

I may, if desired, also provide additional impedances in form of bars 7, disposed trans versely of the frame 1 and secured at their opposite ends to the opposite sides of said frame, the upper sides of these bars being rounded, as indicated at 8, whereby to permit of movement of such game pieces thereover in a progressive fashion, yet, delaying their normal progress or travel. In addition to these cross bars 7, certain of the rollers 52 may have stop pins carried thereon in staggered relation, which pins during r0 tation of their respective rollers will move to the upper side of the frame 1 and upon contacting with the bases of any one of the game pieces will retard their progress over the Way.

Various forms of game pieces may be employed for the playing of the game, although for purposes of illustration, 1 have herein shown game pieces consisting of figures representing riders mounted upon horses, which latter are fixedly secured to base pieces 9 having the opposite ends thereof upturned as at 10 in order that such game pieces may travel over the juxtaposed rolls without fall ing or similar displacement, the curved opposite ends 10 permitting the pieces to ride from one roller to the other during their rotation. It of course will be noted in this connection that the intermediate portion of the bases 9, that is, those portions of the bases between the opposite upturned. end 10 are flat or substantially fiat and are of widths sufficient to support the figures there on in vertical positions. Thus, with game pieces such as herein illustrated, the game during its playing will have semblance of a horse race, that particular game piece reaching the rear or opposite end of the frame 1 first winning the race.

In using the device, rotary motion is imparted to the first roll 2 by way of the crank (S, which because of the inter-connection of the remaining rollers will serve to collectively rotate the same, certain. thereof, as hereinbefore stated, being caused to rotate in directions reverse to the direction of rotation of the majority of the rollers. Game pieces are placed upon the first roller 2 and with rotation of the same, are caused to travel over the way or track in a forwardly direction. As the game pieces reach the re 'versely rotating rollers, namely, those rollers carrying the gears 5, their forwardly travel will be retarded, although the propulsion elfect of the forwardly rotating rollers will be sufficient to move the same thereover. Because of this retarding effect of the reversely rotating rollers upon the game pieces, their order of respective finishing at the opposite or rear end of the track will be problematical or a matter of chance. As further impedance towards forwardly progress or travel of the pieces, the transverse bars 7 with their rounded upper surfaces 8 are provided, the forward upwardly curved ends 10 of the various game pieces striking the adjacent portions of said curved surfaces 8 of the bars and riding upwardly thereover, yet being retarded by their engagement with the same. In a similar manner, the pins 7 arranged in staggered.

relation upon certain of the rollers 2 function, such pins upon coming to the upper side of the frame 1, stri e an ad acent game piece and in consequence, retard its forwardly travel or progress.

The various game pieces may be suitably numbered or provided with other matter in order that they may be individually recognized or indicated, such as conditions or preference may dictate.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is within the scope of my claims, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of juxtaposed rotatable rollers, means for collectively rotating all of said rollers, means arranged upon certain of said rollers and adapted to be connected to the remaining rollers whereby the former will be rotated in directions opposite to rotation of the latter, and playing pieces receivable upon said rollers and adapted to be propelled thereover.

2. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of grouped rotatable rollers, means for elfecting collective rotation of said rollers, means upon certain of said rollers connected with other of the remaining rollers whereby the former will be caused to rotate in directions opposite to rotation of the latter, and playing pieces having individual bases arranged thereon having their opposite end portions curved upwardly, adapted to be arranged upon said rollers and propelled thereover.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of grouped rollers, means for effecting collective rotation of all of said rollers, means upon certain of said rollers connected with others of the remaining rollers adapted to effect rotation of the former in directions opposite to rotation of the latter, immovable obstructions arranged parallel to and slightly above the peripheral portions of certain of said rollers, and playing pieces having individual bases adapted to be a1- anged upon and propelled over said rollers.

4. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of rclativelyparallel juxtaposed rollers, means for efiectlng collective rotation of all of said rollers, means upon certain of said rollers adapted to be connected to others of the remaining rollers whereby said former rollers will be rotated in directions opposite to rotation of the latter rollers, pins carried upon the peripheral surfaces of certain of saidrollers, and game pieces receivable upon the rollers and adapted to be propelled thereover, some of said game pieces being engageable, during their propulsion over the rollers, with said pins.

5. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of relatively parallel juxtaposed rollers, means upon certain of rollers, pins arranged upon the peripheral said rollers connected to others of the re surfaces of certain others of said rollers, and inaining rollers for effecting rotation of the game pieces receivable upon the rollers and 10 former rollers in directions opposite to rotaadapted to be propelled thereover.

5 tion of the latter rollers, immovable obstruc- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set tions arranged parallel to and slightly above my hand. the peripheral portions of certain of said BRUCE GREEN DE VVOOLF SON. 

